Jets Wake Up to Silence Hapless Rams

JETS 27
RAMS 13

Well, at least the Jets can always say they beat the horrific St. Louis Rams when this 2012 season is over.

In a game that was not exactly a match-up between two juggernaut football teams, the Jets found a way to outlast the St. Louis Rams 27-13 on Sunday.  While the effort by Gang Green wasn't sparkling and will do very little to quell the sense that this is a team spiraling out of control, the win does soften the sharp attacks on this team after a full week of turmoil.

It wasn't pretty, and to be frank the game could have gotten out of hand very early, as the Jets offense slogged through the opening two quarters.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez was sacked three times early on, and was even stripped of the football, as the Jets offense stalled on its first four possessions. Trailing 7-3, the Jets had a great opportunity to take the lead after Sam Bradford was picked off by Eric Smith at the Rams 17-yard line. However, the Jets couldn't punch it in, as Sanchez was sacked by Chris Long, and threw a completion well short of the first down marker to force fourth down. New York had to settle for a field goal, but it was blocked by St. Louis, keeping the Rams in front 7-3.

However, the momentum of this game changed on incredible play by defensive end Muhamad Wilkerson. Wilkerson, who has slowly come on as a reliable defensive tackle for this Jets team, sacked Bradford so hard that he jarred the ball loose; linebacker Bart Scott scooped up the loose change and chugged 38-yards to the Rams 28.

Two plays later Sanchez finally connected when he found a wide open Chaz Schillens in the end zone for the touchdown to give New York a 10-7 lead.

From that point on the Jets offense was very efficent. Sanchez didn't make anymore mistakes for the rest of the day completing 15 of 20 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. He wasn't spectacular, but the Jets didn't need him to be. He controlled the game with a short-efficient passing game, and the Jets offensive line was very good in its protection.

On the other side of the ball, the Jets defense shut down the Rams. After allowing St. Louis to drive 86 yards for a score on their opening possession, the Jets defense clamped down, yielding 195 yards for the rest of the game.

The Jets took full advantage of a befuddled Sam Bradford, who was horrible as he under-threw and over-threw his receivers for the remainder of the game. The Jets even took advantage of their former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who managed too aggressively, when pounding the ball would have sufficed. There were a number of occasions that St. Louis faced a third and one or third and two, and instead of pounding the ball with Steven Jackson, who was moving the ball well, the Rams elected to pass the ball and were unable to move the chains. 

Before anyone knew it the Jets build a astronomical 27-7 lead thanks to two Bilal Powell touchdowns, as New York earned its fourth win of the year.

However this is nothing to get excited about. The Jets offense still looked like a unit walking on egg shells, and if it weren't for the fact that the Jets were playing a horrible Rams team, this game could have gotten very interesting.

Next up for Team Turmoil is the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving night. The Patriots destroyed the Colts 59-24, Sunday, but will be without Rob Gronkowski who broke his forearm on Sunday. That being said, the Pats still have enough weapons to give the Jets nightmares.

With the addition of Aqib Talib in the secondary, the Patriots finally have a legit cornerback that will make Mark Sanchez very wary.

So while it is nice to see the Jets actually win a game, don't get too used it, the sharks will be swimming in the waters for Sanchez, Ryan and company very soon.